Background. Gegen Qinlian (GGQL) decoction is a common Chinese herbal compound for the treatment of ulcerative colitis (UC). In this study, we aimed to identify its molecular target and the mechanism involved in UC treatment by network pharmacology and molecular docking. Material and Methods. The active ingredients of Puerariae, Scutellariae, Coptis, and Glycyrrhiza were screened using the TCMSP platform with drug‐like properties (DL) ≥ 0.18 and oral availability (OB) ≥ 30%. To find the intersection genes and construct the TCM compound‐disease regulatory network, the molecular targets were determined in the UniProt database and then compared with the UC disease differential genes with P value < 0.005 and ∣log2 (fold change) | >1 obtained in the GEO database. The intersection genes were subjected to protein‐protein interaction (PPI) construction and Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis. After screening the key active ingredients and target genes, the AutoDock software was used for molecular docking, and the best binding target was selected for molecular docking to verify the binding activity. Results. A total of 146 active compounds were screened, and quercetin, kaempferol, wogonin, and stigmasterol were identified as the active ingredients with the highest associated targets, and NOS2, PPARG, and MMP1 were the targets associated with the maximum number of active ingredients. Through topological analysis, 32 strongly associated proteins were found, of which EGFR, PPARG, ESR1, HSP90AA1, MYC, HSPA5, AR, AKT1, and RELA were predicted targets of the traditional Chinese medicine, and PPARG was also an intersection gene. It was speculated that these targets were the key to the use of GGQL in UC treatment. GO enrichment results showed significant enrichment of biological processes, such as oxygen levels, leukocyte migration, collagen metabolic processes, and nutritional coping. KEGG enrichment showed that genes were particularly enriched in the IL‐17 signaling pathway, AGE‐RAGE signaling pathway, toll‐like receptor signaling pathway, tumor necrosis factor signaling pathway, transcriptional deregulation in cancer, and other pathways. Molecular docking results showed that key components in GGQL had good potential to bind to the target genes MMP3, IL1B, NOS2, HMOX1, PPARG, and PLAU. Conclusion. GGQL may play a role in the treatment of ulcerative colitis by anti‐inflammation, antioxidation, and inhibition of cancer gene transcription.

The antivirus effect of quercetin and oseltamivir on the Toll-like receptor 7 (TLR7) signaling pathway was observed when dendritic cells and macrophages were infected with H1N1. Leukomonocytes were obtained from umbilical cord blood and harvested after stimulation by recombinant human Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor (rhGM-CSF) and recombinant human Interleukin 4 (rhIL-4). Virus-infected cell model was established by human bronchial epithelial cells (16HBE) infected with H1N1. After immunological cells and virus-infected cells were co-cultured, quercetin and oseltamivir were also added into the medium as a treatment intervention. Then the immunological cells were collected for Real Time PCR (RT-PCR) and Western blot to determine the expression levels of genes related to TLR7 pathway. Viral infection led to cell death and increased the gene expression levels of TLR7 signal pathway. Quercetin and oseltamivir increased cell viability and reduced the expression levels of TLR7 signal pathway.

Objective: To investigate the effect of LBP on differentiation and maturation of healthy human peripheral blood-derived dendritic cells cultured in different tumor microenvironment in vitro, and discuss the molecular and immunological mechanisms of LBP in treatment of tumor. Methods: In this study, we procured the peripheral blood-derived dendritic cells precursor cell by the Density gradient centrifugation method, and used the tumor-cell supernatant to prepare conditioned medium. The GM-CSF and IL-4 induced DCs precursor cell differentiation to DCs, the TNF-α promoted the immature DCs developed to mature DCs. In this way, we detected the influence of LBP on the expressions of surface molecules of DCs cultured in different environments, and especially on the role of related-immunity and NF-κB activity. Results: In LBP-treated group, the molecular phenotype of DCs, its capacity to stimulate allogeneic lymphocyte proliferation, and the levels of IL-12p70 and IFN-γ secretion were higher than the untreated group (p <0.05), with statistical significance. Meanwhile the expression of NF-κB of the DCs in the medium treated by the LBP was higher than the untreated group (p <0.05), also with statistical significance. Between the two different tumor microenvironment groups, the cell nucleus protein NF-κB expression is obviously different, the hepG2.2.15 group higher than the hepG2 group. Conclusion: LBP could increase the expression of the phenotype of DCs, the secretion of IL-12p70 and IFN-γ in MLR, and enhance the NF-κB expression, especially in the virus-related group, suggesting LBP plays the anti-tumor role stronger in the virus-related environment and this phenomenon correlates with the NF-κB signaling pathway.